A legendary boat on display at Greenwich
In July 1968, Gipsy Moth IV was put on display in Greenwich, by The Maritime Trust, in a purpose-built dry dock next to the Cutty Sark. The yacht was open to the public for many years. In September 1977, a ceremony was held to mark her millionth visitor on board. But the constant visits to the yacht led to deterioration, and she was closed to visitors.
A sale concluded for £1 and a gin and tonic
In 1995, it was decided to replace the plywood deck and cover it with fiberglass. Unfortunately, the cockpit was not watertight, and rain seeping in through the stern rotted the structure. In 2003, Paul Gelder of The Yachting Monthly launched an appeal to save the boat and celebrate the 40th anniversary of her circumnavigation.
The boat was eventually bought by David Green, CEO of the U.K.S.A. - United Kingdom Sailing Academy - for the symbolic sum of £1 and a gin and tonic, Sir Chichester's favorite drink. In November 2004, the boat was salvaged and transported by road for restoration to the Camper and Nicholson yard in Gosport, where it had been built and launched in 1966.
The original masts and spars have been restored, as have the windvane and compass. The original windlass, Baby Blake toilet and kerosene stove have also all been restored. Winches are replaced and new sails made. The original propeller is donated to the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, then replaced by a folding propeller. A new, larger rudder is installed.
The main structural problem was rotting wood, which was repaired and fiberglassed. Repairs were also made to the deck and cockpit, and a new 56-hp Yanmar engine installed. The structural restoration cost over £300,000, largely supported by public donations. Over 9,000 hours were spent on the 28-week project. The original B&G Navigation equipment was complemented by modern electrical equipment, but retained to recreate the ambiance of 1966. On June 20, 2005, Gipsy Moth IV was relaunched and put back into "active service" by Princess Anne.
A second round-the-world trip for Gipsy Moth IV
After taking part in Cowes Week with Giles Chichester and Ellen McArthur, he embarked on a second round-the-world voyage on September 25, 2005 with skipper Richard Baggett. Baggett took part in the Blue Water Round the World Rally 2005-07 with a crew mixing experienced sailors and underprivileged youngsters.
After more than two weeks, the crew reached Gibraltar, the starting point of the race. As the crew changed, Gipsy Moth IV sailed to Spain, Portugal and the Canaries, before transiting to Antigua. The Panama crossing was completed in February 2006, before setting course for the Galapagos Islands and the Marquesas.
On April 29, 2006, after a navigation error, Gipsy Moth IV ran aground on a coral reef in Rangiroa, a Tuamotu atoll, just 170 miles from its next destination, Tahiti. Severely damaged, a major salvage operation was carried out 6 days later. Holes in the hull were repaired with sheets of plywood, enabling the boat to be towed back to Tahiti, from where it was to reach Auckland in New Zealand via cargo ship. There, the boat undergoes a second restoration with the help of Grant Dalton's America's Cup team. A large part of the damaged starboard side plating was cut away and the galley removed, so that within a week a new plating was installed. Three weeks later, keel repairs were completed, and the boat was ready to go again after a refit and new hull paint. In addition to these major works, a new rudder was built, repairs were carried out on the rigging, and the deck was completely painted and varnished, as well as undergoing extensive electrical work.
In mid-June, the crew set sail again for Sydney, before continuing on to Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Singapore, Phuket and Sri Lanka. Gipsy Moth IV then crossed the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean to Gibraltar, arriving in Plymouth on May 28, 2007, exactly 40 years after her first circumnavigation. She was welcomed home by Giles Chichester, son of Sir Francis.
A second takeover revives major nautical events
Gipsy Moth IV was stored for a time in Lymington marina, before being sold in November 2010 to new British owners. The boat remains on public display in Cowes. She takes part in classic regattas in 2011 such as the Suffolk Yacht Harbor Classic Regatta, the JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, the Panerai British Classic Week and the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. She is also one of the ships taking part in the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Show.
During winter maintenance at Bucklers Hard yard, he is admired by the public at open days. In May 2017, she attends the Jersey Boat Show, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Chichester's circumnavigation. Maintained by The Gipsy Moth Trust, a charity until 2012, the Covid-19 crisis signals the end of the charity and the yacht is once again put up for sale in February 2021.
A third life for Gipsy Moth IV
In March 2022, Gipsy Moth IV was purchased by Simon Oberholzer, who undertook her second complete restoration to her original 1967 condition. A specially designed electric thruster is installed on the bow at the Elephant boatyard on the River Hamble. Thanks to this addition, Gipsy Moth IV can be maneuvered more easily without any impact on her structural integrity or aesthetics. The exterior restoration is completed just before Cowes Week and the Platinum Jubilee celebration on August 6, 2022. The cumulative cost of the work to restore the boat now exceeds £2 million.
In addition to the restoration, Oberholzer has collected over a thousand documents, articles, artifacts and other memorabilia, all relating to Gipsy Moth IV and ensuring her status as a sailing legend. A dedicated website has also been created to celebrate this sailing legend.
A first voyage away from British waters for 16 years
On the day of King Charles III's coronation, May 6, 2023, Gipsy Moth IV left Ramsgate for the Netherlands, making her first trip away from British waters in 16 years. The last time was on the Blue Water Rally voyage in 2005-2007. As a tribute to her first circumnavigation in 1966, the yacht is present at the start of The Hague leg of The Ocean Race 2023.
